Collapsible carton



June 7, 1966 c. H. KEITH GOLLAPSIBLE CARTON 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 2'7, 1965 FIG.3

FIG.5

INVENTOR.

CLIFFORD H. KEITH, w

FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS June 7, 1966 c. H. KEITH 3,254,826

COLLAPS IBLE CARTON INVENTOR. CLIFFORD H. KEITH ATTORNEYS June 7, 1966 c. H. KEITH COLLAPSIBLE CARTON 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 INVENTOR.

FIG. 18

June 7, 1966 c. H. KEITH GOLLAPSIBLE CARTON 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 27, 1965 IOI a 4 O L 6 A a 5 6 r O I v 0 I a a I 4 J o 5 i a \5 w G 8 wk M O 6 1 m f a M 7 O 6. 5 m G 5 m m, I a O 6 FIG. 2!

INVENTOR. CLIFFORD H. KEITH,

r M ATTORNEYS iii I02 FIG. 22 6M United States Patent Filed Aug. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 483,221 Claims. ((11. 229-41) This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 314,951 filed Oct. 9, 1963.

The present invention relates to a collapsible carton and more particularly to a collapsible carton formed from a single blank of corrugated cardboard or equivalent material die cut and creased to define five rows of horizontally aligned edge-joined panels, the middle set of which are joined at their free edges to define a circumferentially continuous carton liner, the upper and lower rows being folded to the outside and then likewise joined at their free edges to define continuous outer carton portions telescopically engageable over the top and bottom ends of the carton liner, and the intermediate rows being notched and creased so as to automatically interleave to form the top and bottom closures as the carton parts are telescoped together.

Specifically, there is provided a single die cut blank of corrugated cardboard or similar relatively stiff but bendable material. The blank has a central row of edgejoined panels, the free edges of the end panels of which are joined to each other as by the use of a strip of adhesive tape to define a circumterentially continuous carton inner wall or liner. The blank also has a top and bottom row of panels folded to the outer side of the carton and similarly joined at their free edges to define continuous bands telescopically slidable over the upper and lower ends of the liner portion. Between the said upper and central and again between the central and lower rows of panels, which define the double thickness walls of the carton, there is a row of closure forming panels each of which is centrally and horizontally creased so as to be foldabl-e upon itself and is cut away along the edge of one or both halves thereof to define a notch into which the folded edge of an adjacent panel may extend as said closure forming panels fold inwardly and interleavingly to automatically form multiply top and bottom closures of the carton as the wall portions thereof are telescoped together, or to open the same on a reverse movement of the parts.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a single blank carton having telescopically mating inner and outer walls and top and bottom closures automatically closed or opened by the relative telescopic movements of the carton walls.

It is another object to provide a carton of this type which can be collapsed into a fiat package for shipping or storage either before or after use as a carton.

It is another object to provide a device of the character described in which all of the blank material initially encompassed within its margins is utilized to provide multiple walls for the cmton sides and closure.

It is a further object to provide a collapsible carton which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and elficient in use.

Other and further objects will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a closed carton embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the carton of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the carton of FIGURE 1, illustrating the beginning of the top opening operation;

FIGURE,4 is a side elevational view of the carton fully open at both top and bottom;

3,254,82 Patented June 7, 1966 FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the opened carton of FIGURE 4 collapsed into a fiat package;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the carton in section taken on line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the die cut blank prior to any folding operations;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the upper half of the showing of FIGURE 7, illustrating the folding operations producing the interleaving closure elements;

FIGURE 9. is a plan view of the blank immediately prior to folding into its tubular condition;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper right portion of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the upper end of the assembled carton;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view showing the upper closure structure partially closed;

FIGURE '13 is a iragmentar perspective view showing the beginning of the in folding operation that closes the upper closure member; I

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the upper closure member more nearly closed;

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank for I a modified form of the carton;

FIGURE 16 is a plan view of the partially closed carton formed by the blank of FIGURE 15;

FIGURE 17 is a fragmentary elevational view of the showing of FIGURE 16, in section and taken on line 1717 of FIGURE 16;

FIGURE 18 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 16 but showing the carton fully closed;

FIGURE 19 is a fragmentary plan view of a blank for a modified form of the carton;

FIGURE 20 is a plan view of a partially closed carton formed from. the blank of FIGURE 19;

FIGURE 21 is a fragmentary elevational view, taken along line 2121' of FIGURE 20; and,

FIGURE 22 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 20 but showing the car-ton fully closed.

Referring to FIGURES 1-14 of the drawings, 20 generally designates the die cut rectangular blank. Blank 2% may be cut from any suitable sheet material such as corrugated cardboard. A central transversely extending row of rectangular panels 21-26 defines the inner or liner portion of the two ply carton, said liner being generally designated 27. Panels 21-26 are defined by hinge score lines at 28..

A second row of panels 2934 is collectively designated by numeral 35. The panels of row are similarly hingedly connected as defined by score lines 36. The row of panels 35 constitutes the lower portion'of the telescopic outer members of the completed carton.

The upper portion of the outside carton walls is formed by a row 37 consisting of panels 38 through 43 similarly joined by score lines 44.

As best seen in FIGURE 7, each of panels 2126 is joined at its lower edge along fold lines 45 to the upper end of one of the identical panels 46 which form the bottom closure of the carton in a manner hereinafter fully described.

Panels 46 are likewise connected at their lower ends to the upper edges of panels 2-34 at scored hinge lines at 47.

Each panel 46 has impressed therein a double score line 4-8 horizontally and medially disposed in the right half of each panel 46. Each panel 46 is separated from adjacent panel 45 by die cut slit 49. Each panel 46 is further provided with slit St) and with a pair of score lines 51, which together define flaps 52, the purpose of which will hereinafter be more fully described.

Liner panels 21-26 are similarly connected to upper outside panels 3843 by a series of identical panels 53 2 which, except for their location, are substantially identical with closure panels 46 described above. Panels 53 are severed from each other by severance lines 54, and are slit medially at 55 to define in cooperation with score lines 56, the flaps 57. Like panels 46 previously described, closure panels 53 are hingedly connected at their upper and lower ends respectively to the panels of row 37 and row 27 at score lines 58, 59. Double score lines 60 divide panels 53 into lower and upper halves foldable onto each other about score lines 60.

FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate the next step of folding flaps 52 and 57 against the inside surfaces of folding closure panels 46 and 53, respectively, in which positions they are firmly retained by application of adhesive to the engaging surfaces thereof.

FIGURES 9 and 10 show the next step of folding outside panels rows 37 and 35, respectively down over the upper portion of panels 53 and upwardly overthe bottom portion of closure panels 46.

The final assembly step is indicated in FIGURE 5 in which the free ends of rows 37, 27 and 35, respectively, are joined together by strips of adhesive tape 61, 62, 63. Strips of adhesive tape 61, 62, 63 hingedly connect the adjacent edges of the panel rows aforesaid.

To erect the box, the same is positioned as shown in FIGURE 4, standing on row of panels 35 as a base. Downward pressure on the upper edge of panel row 37 initiates the inward bowing of the rows of closure panels 53 and 46 as shown in FIGURES 3, 12, 13, 14. Further downward movement of panel row 37, now defining a hexagon in plan view, causes the interleaving of the closure panels, as shown in FIGURE 12, to progress toward the closure panel arrangement of FIGURE 2, and further initiates the telescoping of outside carton portions 37, 35 over the liner portion 27 to bring the parts of the carton first into the nearly closed condition of FIGURE 3 and finally into the fully closed condition of FIG- URE 1.

Because of the greater vertical dimension of panel row 35 as compared to panel row 37, the frictional inter-engagement between panel row 35 and liner 27 will be greater than between liner 27 and panel row 37. Thus, an upwardly exerted pull on portion 37 will tend to cause an opening of the upper closure formed by panels 53 before liner 27 will begin to slide from the lower outside carton portion 35. Only when it is desired to recollapse the carton back to its condition-of FIGURE 5 for storage, will liner 27 be withdrawn from the lower carton portion 35.

In the species of FIGURES through 18, 70 generally designates the die-cut rectangular blank. Blank 70 has the same basic construction and arrangement of parts described in the species of FIGURES 1-14, and, therefore, only the portions thereof containing structural differences have been illustrated in FIGURES 15-18.

The row of edge-joined panels 71-76 to form the upper outer carton wall portions and correspond to telescopic part 37 of the first-described species. The row of edgejoined panels 77-82 (corresponding to panels 21-26) constitute the inner wall or liner of this carton.

Blank 70 differs from blank essentially in the configurations of closure forming panels 83-88, which interleave to form the upper closure. (Lower closure, not shown, is of similar construction.) However, panels 83- 88 are only laterally disconected from their adjacent panels for half of their lengths by the cut-out areas designated 89. These areas receive the edges of panels 83-88 when they fold about their scored midlines 90. The upper portions of panels 83-88 are laterally joined by integral webs 91, 92 defined by scored fold lines 93, 94, 95, which render the webs sufficiently flexible to insure proper interleaving of closure forming panels 83-88. Webs 91, 92 perform the important function of provid ing a seal between the adjacent upper edges of closure panels 83-88 to prevent leakage into or from the carton 4 between overlapped panel portions. Free edges of panel rows 77-82 and 83-88 are joined, as by adhesive tape 96, to form circumferentially continuous paneled bands, as in the first-described species.

As panels 77-82 telescope down over panels 83-88, FIGURES 16, 17, webs 91, 92 first fold toward each other about fold lines 94 to permit initiation of the interleaving of panels 83-88, and then as the process continues they unfold into their initial coplanar relationships, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 18.

In the species of FIGURES 19-22, numeral generally designates the die-cut rectangular blank. Blank 100 has the same basic construction and arrangement of parts described above in connection with the species of FIGURES 1-14, and, therefore, only the portions thereof containing the structural differences have been illustrated in FIGURES 19-22. Like parts bear like designations with the sufiix a.

The row of edge-joined panels 101, 102 form the upper outer carton wall portion and correspond to the telescopic part 37 of the first-described species. The row of edgejoined panels 103, 104, corresponding to panels 21-26, constitute the inner wall or liner of the carton of this species.

Blank 100 differs from blank 20 essentially in the edgejoined panels 101, 102, liner panels. 103, 104 and the manner in which panels 101-104 are connected to closure forming panels 105 which have a construction corresponding to and identical with that of previously described panels 53 and which interleave in the same manner to form the upper closure. Lower closure, not shown, is of similar construction. However, panels 105 are hingedly connected at their upper and lower ends respectively to the panels 101, 102 and to panels 103, 104 at curved score lines 106, 107. Similarly, panel 101 is separated from panel 102 by a score line 108; and panel 103 is similarly separated from panel 104 by a score line 109 which is an extension of score line 108. Additionally, panels 101, 102 are hingedly connected to panels 105 by a score line 110 about which panels 101 and 102 are initially folded over panels 105 similar to the manner of folding outside panel rows 35, 37 over panels 46, 53, as illustrated in FIGURES 9, 10. The free edges of panels 101, 102 and closure panels 105 are joined, as by adhesive tape 111, to form circumferentially continuous paneled bands, as in the first-described species.

Erection of the box is accomplished essential-1y as in connection with the first-described species wherein downward pressure on the upper edge of now-folded panels 101, 102 initiates inward bowing of the rows of closure panels 105 and the corresponding set of lower closure panels, not shown. Further downward movement of panels 101, 102 causes interleaving of the closure panels 105 in the same manner as described in connection with the first-described species except that, as illustrated in FIGURES 20-22, the carton of this species forms in plan view, or in cross section, an essentially tubular or cylindrical carton.

While particular preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described, comprising at least two edge-joined panels defining a circumferential-1y continuous inner wall of acarton, a like number of edgejoined panels defining the lower portion of the outer wall of said carton, a mating set of edge-joined panels defining the upper portion of the outer wall of said carton, and sets of vertically elongated closure forming panels having arcuate crease means joining the top and bottom edges of said inner wall panels respectively to the top and bottom edges of the panels defining the upper and the lower outer wall portions, each of said closure forming panels having a horizontal medial fold crease formed therein and being provided with at least one vertically elongated wedge-shaped cut-out area in and along one side thereof with the apex of said area lying at a corner of said panel and the base of said area being closely adjacent the medial fold crease, said closure forming panels having wedge-shaped crease-defined webs connecting lateral edges of adjacent panels beyond the base of said cut-out areas and having fold creases extending longitudinally and from the apices thereof to enhance the flexibility thereof, said webs sealing the margins of the flat spaces between interleaved panels against leakage, whereby said latter panels will fold inwardly with each receiving the medially folded edge of an adjacent panel within the pocket defined by the base of said area to provide a sequential interleaving of said sets of closure forming panels to define top and bottom closures for said carton as said upper and lower outer wall portions are telescoped axially over the upper and lower edges of said carton inner wall.

2. Structure according to claim 1, said carton being formed of a single die cut blank, the upper and lower edge-joined panels of which are folded to the outside thereof after which said blank is formed into a tubular configuration by joining the free edges of each set of edge-joined panels.

3. Structure according to claim 2, said free edges being joined by strips of adhesive coated sheet material.

4. Structure according to claim 1, said blank, for economy of manufacture, having the surface thereof providing the telescopically engaging and normally concealed surfaces of said carton, provided with a less expensive finish than the other surface of the blank providing the inner and outer surfaces of said carton.

5. Structure according to claim 1, said panels defining the lower portion of the carton outer wall being considerably greater in vertical dimension than said panels defining the upper portion of the carton outer wall, whereby the latter portion will tend to move more readily relative to the carton inner wall clue to smaller friction producing contact therebetween, so as to open without objectionable movement of said lower outer carton portion relative to the inner carton wall when a carton-opening pull is exerted between said outer wall portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,431,918 10/1922 Arthur -3 2,013,691 9/ 1935 Martinson. 2,091,291 8/1937 Ringler 229- 43 X 2,577,588 12/1951 Paige 229-14 3,107,042 10/1963 Heith 22943 X JOSEPH R. LE CLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. T. MOORHEAD, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO EDGE-JOINED PANELS DEFINING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUS INNER WALL OF A CARTON, A LIKE NUMBER OF EDGEJOINED PANELS DEFINING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE OUTER WALL OF SAID CARTON, A MATING SET OF EDGE-JOINED PANELS DEFINING THE UPPER PORTION OF THE OUTER WALL OF SAID CARTON, AND SETS OF VERTICALLY ELONGATED CLOSURE FORMING PANELS HAVING ARCUATE CREASE MEANS JOINING THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGE OF SAID INNER WALL PANELS RESPECTIVELY TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES OF THE PANELS DEFINING THE UPPER AND THE LOWER OUTER WALL PORTIONS, EACH OF SAID CLOSURE FORMING PANELS HAVING A HORIZONTAL MEDIAL FOLD CREASE FORMED THEREIN AND BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE VERTICALLY ELONGATED WEDGE-SHAPED CUT-OUT AREA IN AND ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF WITH THE APEX OF SAID AREA LYING AT A CORNER OF SAID PANEL AND THE BASE OF SAID AREA BEING CLOSELY ADJACENT THE MEDIAL FOLD CREASE, SAID CLOSURE FORMING PANELS HAVING WEDGE-SHAPED CREASE-DEFINED WEBS CONNECTING LATERAL EDGES OF ADJACENT PANELS BEYOND THE BASE OF SAID CUT-OUT AREAS AND HAVING FOLD CREASES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND FROM THE APICES THEREOF TO ENHANCE THE FLEXIBILITY THEREOF, SAID WEBS SEALING THE MARGINS OF THE FLAT SPACES BETWEEN INTERLEAVED PANELS AGAINST LEAKAGE, WHEREBY SAID LATTER PANELS WILL FOLD INWARDLY WITH EACH RECEIVING THE MEDIALLY FOLDED EDGE OF AN ADJACENT PANEL WITHIN THE POCKET DEFINED BY THE BASE OF SAID AREA TO PROVIDE A SEQUENTIAL INTERLEAVING OF SAID SETS OF CLOSURE FORMING PANELS TO DEFINE TOP AND BOTTOM CLOSURES FOR SAID CARTON AS SAID UPPER AND LOWER OUTER WALL PORTIONS ARE TELESCOPED AXIALLY OVER THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF SAID CARTON INNER WALL. 